Details

He was well known as a Greek civil servant, a distinguished chemist and a representative and observer for Greece in the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

Born at Athens and the son of a distinguished oculist, he first studied medicine, but later decided to take up chemistry. He studied this subject in the Faculty of Science of Athens University, where in 1911 he obtained a doctor's degree. He continued his chemical studies in the years 1912 to 1915 at the Technische Hochschule at Berlin - Charlottenburg, obtaining a diploma in chemistry there.

In 1917 he entered the Greek civil service and was appointed head of the department for the control of foodstuffs in the Ministry of Supply.

When the state chemical laboratory was set up at the Ministry of the Interior in 1920, he was put in charge of the department for the analysis of foodstuffs and pharmaceutical products. At this stage he was already taking a special interest in the control of narcotic drugs and in the campaign against the illicit traffic. This subject was to engage his attention until his death.

In 1929 he transferred to the State General Chemical Laboratory at the Ministry of Finance, and in 1951 became its director-general. Five years later he reached the retiring age for Greek civil servants.

Dr. Panopoulos published numerous scientific works on analytical methods. Some were presented to the Academy of Athens, and received the highest praise from that institution.

He also wrote a comprehensive manual on forensic chemistry, which won wide acceptance.

Another important activity was his teaching work at the Athens police school, where he gave very popular lectures from 1951 until his death. It is mainly due to him that the Greek police officer of today has such a thorough grounding in narcotic drug problems.

Dr. Panopoulos frequently spoke at meetings of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. He carefully studied the docume- ntation on the subject, and his proposals were always designed to put down the illicit traffic in drugs with the greatest possible severity.

He also played a very useful part in the United Nations opium research programme.

Dr. Panopoulos had an attractive personality. He very easily made friends, who greatly appreciated him. His subordinates knew that they could always rely on him for moral and material help.

A man with such noble qualities, who has done so much for his country, for science and for international co-operation, will continue to live in the memory of his numerous friends, pupils and colleagues.